Bleeding Out
by BetweenLines55
Summary: Percy's string has been cut, and he has just one regret. No place like your death bed to make a few revelations. Takes place during the end of The Giant War. Grab your tissues, everyone. Reviews are love.


Bleeding Out

The world seemed to have grown sharper. Not in the literal sense of course, the world had grown dark a long while ago, but in the metaphorical sense. Puzzle pieces had clicked together.

When he was 12, Percy mused, the only thing he had to live for was making sure his mother was safe from Smelly Gabe. Other than that, he had no obtainable purpose. The gods, as messed up as they were, had given him a purpose, a chance to do something. It made him want to laugh, but he couldn't, so he kept thinking.

Wherever they had put him was warm. He could even smell her shampoo. Cold hands were placed on his chest, "You know I'm only delaying the inevitable, Annabeth. If the Fates have cut his string, I can't stop it."

"Dammit, Nico, you have to be do something! What kind of Ghost King are you?!"

Percy wanted to tell Nico to let him go, and say to Annabeth that he loved her, at least one more time. His only regret, he decided, would not be telling her that enough. He would always love Annabeth, dead or alive. The best romances were always tragedies, right? He never did believe Aphrodite...maybe that had been his downfall.

Annabeth had done so much for him anyways: the Nobody thing, taking a knife for him, saving his sorry ass a number of other ways...it was the least he could do was-

"He's losing too much blood, Annabeth."

"I don't give a damn about what he's dying from. Can't you just fix it already?"

"I can't, sweetheart. His string has been cut. The Prophecy has to come true, so at this point, it's out of my hands.

-bleed out for her.

Percy took a little pride in knowing Apollo himself had come to see him off. He wondered if the sun god would recite a hiaku about his death. Maybe, with luck he'd get a whole ballad.

"Please, Percy. Please don't leave me. I'm sorry I made you come after me. I love you, I love you so much, Percy. You have no idea how much, you stupid Seaweed Brain. I need you, please. Please wake up. Please."

I love you too, Annabeth, he thought, I was lucky to get to have time with you, please don't cry. I hate it when girls cry, I hate it when you cry. He couldn't feel the warmth of her body or smell her shampoo. He was close, he could feel it, but he wasn't scared. He was looking forward to a heroic retirement, with just a little regret.

I love you, Wise Girl. I was fortunate enough to spend time with you.

"I'm...I'm going to meet him at DOA."

Good-bye, Nico, ya brat, he thought. It was becoming harder to think. He would see Nico soon, anyhow.

"Please, Percy, I love you." Good-bye Annabeth, you were a wonderful reason to die for. A wonderful purpose to have, I love you too, so much.

He felt light. Weightless.

His eyes snapped open.

Total déjà-vu. No, he'd actually stood here before, in front of this building. But it was so long ago, and the memory was dream like. DOA Recording Studios stood stark against the chaotic LA skyline. Percy didn't remember wanting to enter, but his feet took him inside.

Charon was still there, in a familiar camel suit and dark glasses over empty eye sockets, "Ah, Mr. Jackson. Another bathtub incident?"

Percy shook his head, smiling, "No, sir, I'm here for real this time." Charon gave him disbelieving look, while Percy met his gaze in earnest. He didn't feel too different, honestly, but lighter, more free. And at peace. A great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Most importantly, the letters on Charon's nametag hadn't been mixed up when he'd read it.

"He'll be coming with me, Charon. His passage has already been paid in full."

Percy turned around and was greeted with two armfuls of Nico di Angelo. Percy's cousin buried his face into Percy's armor (he was still wearing that?) "I'm never gonna forgive you, asshole, for leaving."

"Nico, I'm OK."

"No, idiot, you're dead." He still hadn't moved. Percy reached down and took Nico's face in his hands, "Listen here, kiddo. Tell Annabeth, my mom, Paul, my dad, the campers, the rest of the gods, Chiron, and Grover...tell them that I love them and I wish them all the best. You better damn well make sure that Annabeth makes it through the war, and you better kick Gaea's ass, ok? I love you, kiddo, don't hold this against yourself or anyone."

Nico sniffed, "Okay." Percy kissed Nico's forehead.

"I'm fine, Nico, take me home."

His string had been cut, the world had grown sharper and all the puzzle pieces now fit together. He'd found a purpose, and Annabeth was a very good purpose to bleed out for.

**Oh tears. T.T sorry about that, I wrote something sad though, weird. Reviews are love. Thanks so much guys for all the favorites.**


End file.
